Even with these improvements, no platform does everything out of the box. Age verification still requires third-party apps, and each app has its own pricing and failure rates. A customer with a blurry ID photo might get an error at checkout, and you lose a sale unless you have a manual review process.

Payment processing remains the biggest headache. High-risk processors charge higher fees—often 3-5% plus a monthly minimum—and they can still freeze funds if they suspect fraud. You need to have a backup processor ready, and your platform should allow you to switch without rebuilding your checkout.

Inventory management is another gap. Most platforms are built for single-location retail. If you're a wholesale buyer running multiple warehouses or selling both wholesale and retail through the same catalog, you'll need an inventory app that supports batch tracking and multi-location stock. That's an added cost that many platforms don't include.